When it comes to the Cheltenham Festival, the Gold Cup is the biggest race of all. The race dates back almost 100 years, with the 2023 Gold Cup promises to be as competitive as ever. On this page, we will outline Gold Cup odds, as well as looking at some of the frontrunners for this Grade 1 National Hunt fan favourite.
Best Bookies for Cheltenham Gold Cup Betting Offers
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Why Gold Cup Odds Today are So Important
28 races make up the Cheltenham Festival, including the Champion Hurdle and Queen Mother Chase. However, taking place on the fourth and final day of the Festival, it is the Gold Cup that attracts the most interest from punters. With the top three finishers from last season – A Plus Tard, Minella Indo and Protektorat – expected to feature in 2023, the latest Gold Cup odds from online bookies paint a different picture to then with neither made favourite.
Gold Cup betting odds are introduced months in advance of race day. Ante post prices offer punters a chance to bet on the Gold Cup even before the lineup has been confirmed. The Gold Cup attracts the best runners and riders from the UK & Ireland, with the race having a prize pool of over £460,000. While jockeys, trainers and owners will hope of claiming their share, punters dream of winning big by backing the Gold Cup winner.
Cheltenham Gold Cup odds are always a major talking point surrounding the Festival. Bookies will often price entrants differently. Meanwhile, the Gold Cup latest odds regularly change, based on trials, injuries and information from trainers. Millions of Pounds worth of bets are placed on the race, both at the Cheltenham Racecourse itself and online. So, if you are still wondering who to back this year, be sure to check out our top ranked betting sites for Gold Cup 2023 odds.
Gold Cup Betting Odds
Punters will often look for clues as to who they should bet on for Gold Cup success. So, is it always worth betting on the entrant who is the favourite in the Gold Cup odds? It is worth noting that over the last 10 years, the pre-race favourite has won the Gold Cup on just four occasions. At 100/30, Al Boum Photo did so in 2020, with the Willie Mullins trained horse having made it back-to-back victories in the process. However, Sizing John, Native River and Minella Indo have also won the Gold Cup over recent years, doing so at odds of 7/1, 5/1 and 9/1, respectively.
However, it is worth backing the favourite with an each way bet, even if you have an inkling that they may not win the Gold Cup outright. Many favourites have placed over the years. Al Boum Photo, the 9/4 favourite, finished third in 2021. Meanwhile, Might Bite, Long Run and Kuato Star have also narrowly missed out on victory over the years, having been the frontrunner in the pre-race Cheltenham Gold Cup odds.
Gold Cup Odds
The Cheltenham Gold Cup dates back to 1924. Ran over a distance of 3 miles 2½ furlongs, 22 fences make the race even more exciting. The Gold Cup is open to runners aged 5 and over, with the race being the most valuable non-handicap chase in the UK. In the modern era, Irish trainers have dominated, winning six out of the last eight Gold Cups. The table below shows Cheltenham results, specifically the winners of the Gold Cup over the last 10 years, including the jockeys and trainers involved.
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
| 2022 | A Plus Tard (3/1F) | Rachael Blackmore | Henry de Bromhead |
| 2021 | Minella Indo (9/1) | Jack Kennedy | Henry de Bromhead |
| 2020 | Al Boum Photo (100/30F) | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins |
| 2019 | Al Boum Photo (12/1) | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins |
| 2018 | Native River (5/1) | Richard Johnson | Colin Tizzard |
| 2017 | Sizing John (7/1) | Robbie Power | Jessica Harrington |
| 2016 | Don Cossack (9/4F) | Bryan Cooper | Gordon Elliott |
| 2015 | Coneygree (7/1) | Nico de Boinville | Mark Bradstock |
| 2014 | Lord Windermere (20/1) | Davy Russell | Jim Culloty |
| 2013 | Bobs Worth (11/4F) | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson |
| 2012 | Synchronised (8/1) | AP McCoy | Jonjo O’Neill |
A popular trend looked at by punters based on past horse racing results is the performances of veteran horses. It is worth noting that Cool Dawn’s success back in 1998, at 25/1, was the last time a horse aged 10+ won the Gold Cup. Horses in this age group have a poor record at the Gold Cup. However, it is not out of the question that a more experienced runner will place. Just look at Denman, Kauto Star and Mon Mome as examples. The following statistics, from 1999 onwards, do show that it is unlikely though:
- 81 have competed
- 0 have won
- 8 have been placed
- 27 failed to complete
- 43 completed but outside places
- 30 were priced at 50/1 or above
- 11 at 5/1 or shorter: PU, 4, 13, 11, F, 2, PU, 3, PU, F, F
In terms of trainers to look out for, Willie Mullins has two Gold Cup wins to his name, the same number as Nicky Henderson. Paul Nicholls holds the record for the most wins over the last 20 years, with three Gold Cup successes, including two with Kauto Star. The battle for the best trainer award at Cheltenham is always fiercely contested, with Gordon Elliott also likely to have a say in matters.
It is worth noting that a horse that has zero career wins in this class going into the Gold Cup has never won the race. The record is actually 0-130 going into the 2023 Gold Cup. Meanwhile, Leopardstown and Kempton have produced a host of winners in the past, six from each to be exact. It is such statistics that make Gold Cup free bets all the more appealing.
Gold Cup Festival Latest Odds
While there are a few surprise omissions for the 2023 Cheltenham Gold Cup, there are also a number of high profile entrants. After defeating reigning champion A Plus Tard, who failed to fire on his return, Betfair Chase winner Protektorat has emerged as one of the leading British candidates to better his third placed effort last season. L’Homme Presse advertised his claims when winning the 3m novice chase at the Festival, meanwhile, and can be forgiven falling in the King George.
Could last season Grand National winner Noble Yeats become a Gold Cup winner too? He was seriously impressive when showing a turn of foot to put the Grade 2 Many Clouds Chase to bed at Aintree in December. Gold Cup odds for the Waley-Cohen family’s remarkable horse trained by Emmet Mullins have shortened over the winter.
Galopin Des Champs, an unlucky faller after the final fence in the Turners Novices’ Chase at last season’s Festival became favourite when A Plus Tard disappointed at Haydock. He ran well in the belated John Durkan Memorial Chase for Willie Mullins at Punchestown before Christmas. Gold Cup odds currently look like this:
- Protektorat (9/1 with BoyleSports)
- Noble Yeats (10/1 with bet365)
- Stattler (10/1 with betway)
- Conflated (12/1 with 888Sport)
Bottom Line on Gold Cup Odds
The Gold Cup is the standout race during the Cheltenham Festival. The Grade 1 National Hunt race has a vast history, with famous winners including Arkle, Best Mate, Kauto Star and Al Boum Photo. The Cheltenham Festival 2023 odds suggest that this year’s race could be hugely competitive, with horse racing fans set to back their favourites more than ever before. However, with betting on horses at Cheltenham not coming with any guarantees, punters must consider their picks carefully.
Regardless of who you think will win, be sure to take advantage of nothing but the best Gold Cup odds. Our recommended bookies all deliver attractive prices on the race. Meanwhile, they also offer a number of features and promotions surrounding the Cheltenham Festival. The countdown to the Gold Cup is well and truly underway, so be sure to check out the latest Gold Cup tips and Gold Cup offers.
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